The present invention pertains generally to a tool for severing tabs used in a temporary manner to denote traffic lanes of newly paved roadways until painting of lane lines or installation of lane markers.
In the paving or resurfacing of a roadway a subsequent period of time will elapse before permanent lines or markers may be applied to denote traffic lanes. Presently used for temporary marking of traffic lanes, prior to striping of same, are plastic tabs, a portion of which is embedded in the newly laid paving material. The tabs must be removed upon the roadway surface being suitably marked in a permanent manner.
Tab removal must be in a manner avoiding damage to the roadway surface which could result in the collection of water and ultimately, over a period, damage to the surface. For this reason, commonly governmental agencies require that such tabs be severed at or slightly above the roadway surface. Cutting of the tabs with a knife has proven to be impractical from a man hour standpoint and is not desirable in that surface damage could result. Contributing to the present problem of tab removal is the contractural requirement that all severed tabs must be removed from the roadway.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,810,193 discloses a tool having a blade for travel along the perimeter of a tire with multiple cutting edges 11 formed thereon for the purpose of removing tire tread remnants. Cutting edges 11 are spaced above the tread surface. U.S. Pat. No. 3,818,593 discloses a tool which may be motor driven with the working member having a series of beveled teeth for the purpose of removing roofing nails in a roof stripping operation. Inclined surfaces of the blade serve to lift a shingle nail. U.S. Pat. No. 3,095,228 discloses an earth working implement defining openings 12 terminating upwardly in rounded edges 16 which may be sharpened to enable the use of the tool in a root cutting or similar operation.